Process of purifying beet-molasses



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER D. BONNER, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

PROCESS OF PURIFYING BEET-MOLASSES.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER D. BONNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Processes of Purifying Beetclasses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a process whereby the refuse molasses of beet-sugar factories may be converted into a wholesome, edible product. Potassium salts are recovered as a byproduct of the operation.

Beet-molasses, a by-product of beet-sugar manufacture, contains a relatively high percentage of potassium salts, which impart to it a highly disagreeable taste. It is also characterized by a strong and unpleasant odor. The object of this invention is to provide a simple and economical method, preferably cyclical in character, whereby theseobjections may be overcome.

I prefer to proceed substantially as follows, it being however understood that the invention is not restricted to particular proportions of reagents or additions, or to the particular manipulations specified herein in connection with the description of a typical operation.

Five hundred pounds of beet-molasses is diluted with about three hundred pounds of hot water, and the mixture is stirred to form a homogeneous solution. Either more or less water may be added, it being essential only that the solution should be sufficiently diluted to permit an easy separation of the precipitate subsequently produced. Practically, the amount of water added should not in the case of ordinary beet-molasses be less than one-half of the weight of the molasses.

Tartaric acid, either solid or previously dissolved in water, is now added in proportion to precipitate the bulk of the potassium compounds in the form of the difiicultly soluble acid potassium tartrate, the liquid, which was initially alkaline, bein at the same time rendered slightly aci Since there is some variation in the percentage of potassium salts in different samples of molasses, the quantity of tartaric acid required will be sub ect to some variation, andmust Specification of Letters Patent.

I character.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application filed October 12, 1917. Serial No. 196,320.

be determined for each grade of molasses. As a general rule the quantity required Will be in the neighborhood of thirty-four pounds of tartaric acid for each five hundred pounds of the original molasses.

The mixture is now thoroughly stirred, by paddles, air-blast or otherwise; and is then allowed to stand until cold. During the cooling theacid potassium tartrate settles out from the solution, and the cold syrup may be decanted through anyappropriate filtering or separating device, as a filter-press, centrifuge or the like. .The purified syrup is then evaporated, preferably in vacuo, to about the consistence of the original molasses or as far as may be desired. During this evaporation of the slightly acid liquid, volatile bodies to which the molasses owes its strong and unpleasant odor are, expelled, leaving the product (syrup) pleasant, wholesome and appetizing.

The precipitated acid potassium tartrate may now be treated with the appropriate quantity of sulfuric acid to set free the tartaric acid, the potassium being recovered in the course of this operation in marketable condition as the sulfate. The tartaric acid thus recovered is available for re-use in the purification process, which is thereby, in its preferred embodiment, rendered cyclical in This recovery of tartaric acid and potassium sulfate from the acid tartrate precipitate may be carried out in accordance with the well-known methods.

I claim 1. Process of purifying beet-molasses, comprising suitably diluting the molasses, adding thereto suiiicient tartaric acid to precipitate the bulk of the potassium as acid potassium tartrate, separating the molasses from the precipitate-,and completing the purification by evaporation.

2. Process of purifying beet-molasses, comprising suitably diluting the molasses, slightly acidifying with tartaric acid, separating the resultlng precipitate from the partially purified syrup, and completing the purification by evaporating the latter in 'vacuo.

3. A process of purifying beet-molasses, comprising suitably diluting the molasses,

precipitating potassium compounds therethe steps which consist in eliminating potasfrom by tartaric acid, separating the acid sium compounds therefrom by recipitation potassium tartrate from the molasses, reas acid potassium tartrate, and completing 10 covering tartaric acid from the tartrate prethe purification of the molasses by evaporat- 5 cipitate, and completing the purification of ing the slightly acid solution.

the molasses by evaporation. In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature. 4. In a process of purifying beet-molasses, WALTERD. BON ER. 

